Durable metallized polymer mirror

• US 5,361,172 A
• Filed: 01/21/1993
• Issued: 11/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Midwest Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Midwest Research Institute
• Inventors: Schissel, Paul O., Goggin, Rita M., Shinton, Yvonne D., Kennedy, Cheryl E., Jorgensen, Gary J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LARSON, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US08/007,286
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 359/883, 359/584, 359/585, 428/626, 428/632, 428/623, 428/912.2
• US Class Current: 359/883
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0858 the reflecting layers comprising a single metallic layer with one or more dielectric layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0866 incorporating one or more organic, e.g. polymeric layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12549 Adjacent to each other
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12569 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12611 Oxide-containing component

Abstract

A metallized polymer mirror construction having improved durability against delamination and tunneling, comprising: an outer layer of polymeric material; a metal oxide layer underlying the outer layer of polymeric material; a silver reflective layer underneath the metal oxide layer; and a layer of adhesive attaching the silver layer to a substrate.

Claims

1. A metallized polymer mirror construction having improved durability against delamination and tunneling, consisting essentially of:

an outer layer of a polymeric material;

a metal oxide layer underlying said outer layer of polymeric material;

a silver reflective layer of between about 700 to about 1000 angstroms thickness underneath said metal oxide layer;

an adhesive layer attaching said silver reflective layer to a substrate; and

a copper layer disposed between said adhesive layer and said silver reflective layer.

2. The mirror construction of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material is an acrylic polymeric material.

3. The mirror construction of claim 2, wherein the acrylic polymeric material is polymethylmethacrylate.

4. The mirror construction of claim 3, wherein said metal oxide layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide and silicon oxide.

5. The mirror construction of claim 4, wherein a copper layer is disposed between said adhesive layer and said silver reflective layer, and wherein said metal oxide comprises aluminum oxide, and wherein the thicknesses of the aluminum oxide and copper layers are 50-200 angstroms and 500-1500 angstroms respectively.

6. The mirror construction of claim 1, wherein said metal oxide comprises an aluminum oxide, and wherein the thicknesses of the aluminum oxide and copper layers are 200 angstroms and 1500 angstroms respectively.

7. The mirror construction of claim 6, wherein the polymeric material is an acrylic polymeric material.

8. The mirror construction of claim 7, wherein the acrylic polymeric material is polymethylmethacrylate.